Thursday evening, President Barack Obama presented a jobs plan to a joint session of Congress. The day before, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney published his 160-page, 59-point plan. In California, Gov. Jerry Brown recently rolled out a plan for the Golden State, and in July Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a plan before a Silicon Valley CEO gathering at Wyse Technology. Democratic leaders in the Legislature unveiled a plan of their own this past week.

Here’s feedback: Continue to stimulate the economy in a balanced and nonpartisan way (both via selective tax cuts and spending, such as through infrastructure and education) and always consult with those who create jobs — the entrepreneurs, CEOs and innovators who risk their own resources and reputations to produce products and services and employ American workers.

To his credit, Brown also appointed a senior adviser for jobs and business development, Michael Rossi, a data-driven professional with three decades of executive experience. Operating solely out of a love for his home state, he is working for free. Wisely, he is seeking solutions from employers, workers, venture capitalists and others to identify the best ideas to keep and create jobs.

It’s past time for the same ole, same ole. As the Silicon Valley Leadership Group stated in its state jobs white paper to Brown and its federal jobs white paper to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, we need game changers, rather than laundry lists, to jump start the U.S. and California economies.

To all our leaders — local, state and federal — what are the “game changers” that will truly move the needle? Americans want answers rather than anecdotes.

Their frustration is not aimed at any one person, institution or political party. It is born out of this reality: 14 million able-bodied Americans searching for work cannot find any. Our 9.1 percent unemployment rate is expected to persist through 2012. In California, it’s worse, with 2.1 million Californians unemployed — 12 percent of our workforce. Even here in relatively robust Silicon Valley, more than 320,000 neighbors cannot find a job, more than one of every 10 working-age adults.

That’s why game changers are needed, and it’s why the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Wells Fargo are sponsoring our Game Changers Summit on Tuesday. ﻿Before a crowd of 650 CEOs, public officials and working-class citizens, we’re bringing together private and public sector leaders to discuss the game changers they are advancing that will make a difference in 2012.

Recognizing that government doesn’t create jobs but can foster private-sector job creation, other authors include Silicon Valley CEOs from Applied Materials, Synopsys, SunPower, Bridgelux, Better Place and Brocade. Putting their wallets where their words are, VCs also raise their voices, with commentaries from Vinod Khosla, Steve Westly and Alan Salzman.

Democracy is a participation sport, and we urge everyone in Silicon Valley to join this dialogue. Our “Game Changers” book is available at svlg.org. Our thoughts are also posted there (click on Carl’s Blog). Push back, speak up, agree or disagree — but don’t sit silent. Let’s create a conversation that will help create jobs. Maybe we can even create a stronger community in the process.

CARL GUARDINO is CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. TARKAN MANER is CEO of Wyse Technology and a member of the Leadership Group's board of directors. They wrote this for this newspaper.

"There is a general recognition that we don't need these military-style weapons in New Zealand, so it's very easy to win cross-party support for this," said Mark Mitchell, who was defense minister in the previous, center-right government and who supports the ban initiated by the center-left-led Labour Party.